U.S. Navy orders 214 Raytheon Tomahawk missiles

WASHINGTON, Dec. 29 (UPI) -- Raytheon has received a $303.7 million contract to provide 214 Tomahawk Block IV vertical launch missiles and spares for the U.S. Navy.

The contract combines weapons procurement for the Navy and a foreign military sale to Britain. Work will be performed at a variety of locations including Tucson, Ariz.; Walled Lake, Mich.; Camden, Ark.; and others. The U.S. Department of Defense expects the work to be complete by August 2018.

Raytheon received all funding for the contract at the time of the award, which was not competitively procured. The Naval Air Systems Command in Patuxent River, Ma., is listed as the contracting activity.

The Tomahawk Block IV missile is Raytheon's latest variant of the weapon. It comes equipped with a two-way satellite data-link, allowing operators to reprogram the missile's target midflight.

Raytheon and the Navy are planning additional enhancements for the missile by attaching a more powerful warhead, a new seeker for hitting moving targets, and upgraded communications.